Life Legal filed two Supreme Court briefs last week in support of a Louisiana law requiring abortionists to hold hospital admitting privileges so they can tend to their patients when complications arise. A group of abortionists filed a legal challenge to the law, saying it imposes an “unconstitutional undue burden” on the so-called right to abortion.
We filed our first brief on behalf of former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson and author Terry Beatley, who published a book on Dr. Bernard Nathanson—an abortionist who later became a pro-life champion. Dr. Nathanson was known as the father of the abortion industry until his eyes were opened to the humanity of preborn children through ultrasound. Nathanson grieved that he had committed over 75,000 abortions: “I know every facet of abortion…I helped nurture the creature in its infancy by feeding it great draughts of blood and money.”
In the brief, we argue that the Louisiana abortionists do not have legal standing to bring the lawsuit which they claim is for the benefit of their patients. These abortionists do not care about women’s safety. They are on record as opposing all restraints on abortion. One of the abortionists even filed a lawsuit to abolish every single abortion restriction in Louisiana, including such common-sense provisions as requiring abortion providers to give women instructions on follow-up care. These “doctors” don’t want any laws hindering them from their murderous practice so they can keep the blood money flowing.
Our second brief was filed on behalf of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and Operation Rescue, which monitors the practices of abortionists and investigates violations—including those that led to Kermit Gosnell’s conviction for murder!
We argue that requiring admitting privileges is a “legitimate and necessary tool in the toolbox of legislatures” to make sure abortionists like Kermit Gosnell are not allowed to stay in business. We know from the Gosnell case that abortionists frequently—and flagrantly—violate local health ordinances, in part because local officials often fail to adequately enforce patient safety regulations. Life Legal vigorously defends state laws like Louisiana’s to ensure that abortionists are not allowed to operate in the shadows.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Louisiana case, June Medical Services v. Gee, on March 4, 2020.